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11th Tour Down Under - ProT

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, January 18-25, 2009

Stage 5 - January 24: Snapper Point - Willunga, 148 km

Complete live report

15:52 CST
Mmm, all that cheese and wine was just fine as we went to the Barossa Valley
for Stage 4. Join Cyclingnews again on Saturday for Stage 5 of the Tour Down
Under. This will be the big one which likely decides the race - so let see who
can and can't cut the mustard on the penultimate day.

Tune in for the Tour Down Under live daily around 11:00 local Australia time
(CDT), 1:30 European time (CEST)/ 19:30 (USA East).

10:59 CST
Welcome back for Stage 5 of the Tour Down Under. I hope our wine and cheese
tasting group aren’t battling hangovers this morning, as today we’re in for
one heck of a ride.

11:02 CST
It’s 148 kilometres in length, it’s going to be fast and it’s certainly going
to be brutal. Depending on how it plays out, today’s stage could well hand us
a winner for this year’s Tour Down Under.

11:02 CST
With that said, there’s several riders in with a chance on today’s stage and
a close finish could see the race’s 11th edition decided on time bonuses on
the final stage. It’s probably unlikely, but there’s a big question over just
who will be able to conquer Willunga Hill not once but two times.

11:02 CST
The peloton has rolled out from today's start line. Let the race begin!

11:11 CST
Rabobank has a strong presence in the break. The team is clearly wanting to
be a part of anything that happens today, the Dutch team believes it can get
Graeme Brown (Rabobank) over Willunga Hill - twice - for victory today.

11:11 CST
The weather is playing into the hands of someone like Allan Davis (Quick Step)
today. Davis isn’t just a pure sprinter, the little hard man can sure climb
too, but the cool conditions today will take away the advantage that bigger
engines might have had if today’s stage were struck by a heat wave.

11:12 CST
The leading group has 400 metres on the peloton. There's three smaller chase
groups in between the two main groups.

11:13 CST
Forecasted weather conditions for today is a high of 26 degrees Celsius – one
of the coolest days of this year’s tour – with an 18 kilometre/hour wind blowing
West/South-West. The cloud cover floating around this morning has kept the temperature
down at 19 degrees Celsius, while humidity is around 49%. Cloud has currently
cleared and it’s blue skies, all around me…

11:14 CST
The leading group has 22 seconds on the peloton now, while seven riders are
floating in between hoping to get in the group.

11:16 CST
The seven riders have caught the leading group, but the peloton still isn't
happy to let anyone go. It's rapidly drawing the group back in and looks certain
to catch it any moment now.

11:18 CST 13km/135km to go
The group has been brought back and the peloton is all together at kilometre
13. Not for long, I suspect.

11:19 CST
Stef Clement (Rabobank) and Maciej Bodnar (Liquigas) are the next to attack.

11:19 CST
Ops, that move is over now too.

11:20 CST
Jack Bobridge (UniSA) is keen on being the one to get away today. He's now attacked.

11:22 CST
Inspired by Willunga’s long history in growing almonds, and the fact people
have referred to me as it over recent days (actually, the word used was moronic,
but it’s close enough), today we’re going with a nutty theme. Besides, we could
see a few hard nuts cracked on today’s course.

11:24 CST
It was looking like no joy for these guys too, as their gap dropped to 80 metres,
but the peloton seems to have changed its mind. The group is out to 200 metres
now. The peloton might have decided not to bust a nut chasing these guys down.

11:25 CST
Alexandr Pliuschin (AG2R La Mondiale) is chasing down the lead group. Looks
like Martin Elminger has decided he needs a man up front.

11:25 CST
The gap has drifted out every so slightly, to 17 seconds.

11:26 CST
Josu Agirre Aseginolaza (Euskaltel - Euskadi) also wants to roll up front, he's
gone off the front of the peloton too.

11:26 CST
Last year’s trek around this course was very different to what we will see today,
for a number of reasons. The first is the much hyped second lap of Willunga
Hill. We know pretty well how brutal this climb can be when the riders do a
lap of it, and also what type of rider we can expect to survive, but the addition
of a second lap this year has changed the game significantly.

11:26 CST
The other difference is weather. Last year Andre Greipel had Adam Hansen time
trialing the final section of the race, which blew the field apart in incredibly
hot conditions. As we’ve already mentioned, there won’t be that same element
of heat for today’s stage, but there has been tougher racing on this year’s
stages and it will come down to just who was able to recover best yesterday
after Thursday’s tough stage.

11:27 CST
Josu Agirre Aseginolaza (Euskaltel - Euskadi) and Alexandr Pliuschin (AG2R La
Mondiale) have been caught by the peloton, but the gap to the lead group has
gone out to 24 seconds.

11:32 CST 22km/126km to go
The leading group's margin has grown to 40 seconds at kilometre 22. The riders
are just finishing their first of five visits to Willunga's Main Road, with
this section being used in both of today's loops.

11:34 CST
Okay all, it's time to crack open a few nutty stories. Tell me what the nuttiest
thing you've done is (doesn't necessarily have to involve nuts)? You know the
address, send them over.

11:35 CST
Quick Step is controlling the peloton's pace at the moment. The team will be
keen to keep the break's gap down below three minutes, I would think, in the
hope of brining race leader Allan Davis to the first climb in a strong position.

11:36 CST
Gert Steegmans (Team Katusha) has pulled over for a wheel change. Steegmans
went out the back of the peloton on yesterday's stage and will probably be one
of the last in today too.

11:36 CST
Steegmans is already back in the bunch. What a little speedster.

11:38 CST
The opening 90 kilometres of today’s stage is relatively flat, with a gradual
climb to 100 metres over 20 kilometres before descending and then repeating
the lap one and a half times more. This lap starts down by Aldinga Beach in
Snapper Point before heading to McLaren Vale, through the town of Willunga and
then back towards the beach.

11:40 CST
After completing their two and a half laps on this circuit, the peloton will
turn left instead of right once it reaches the town of Willunga, where it will
set off on the first of two laps up Willunga Hill. The climb rises 400 metres
in about four kilometers and descends just as quickly on the other side. Two
laps over this should break up the field, leaving the riders to power along
the slightly upward finish.

11:45 CST
A bunch of riders are catching back up with the peloton as it gets close to
the beach again. Probably a good idea they went for the nature stop before getting
to some of Adelaide's finest sandy beaches.

11:45 CST 32km/116km to go
The gap has expanded a little - with some help from the peloton's nature stop.
It's out to 1.30 minutes now.

11:47 CST
Like only a Kiwi could, Greg Henderson (Columbia) was using Donky Kong analogies
to explain how today's race will go. The rider was in one of the (many) earlier
moves but is now in the peloton.

"I think there are going to be fireworks today, heading up the climb twice,"
he said at the start. "It’s not rocket science – we’ve got to try and unload
Alby and Stuey. It’s going to be very interesting. I can get Dodge to the bottom
of the climb no worries – that’s my job, along with Rendog and Eisel, Hansen
and George. We’ll keep him out of the wind all day and let them do their stuff.
It’ll be on like Donkey Kong!"

11:48 CST
He was attacking earlier this week, but Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne) has
stopped for a new rear wheel now.

11:48 CST
The gap from the lead group back to the peloton is now at two minutes.

11:50 CST
Local boy Stuart O’Grady (Saxo Bank) told Cyclingnews yesterday that he believes
race leader Allan Davis (Quick Step) will be difficult to beat today. Of course,
O’Grady himself sits just 15 seconds adrift and is in spectacular form, meaning
that the Australian – with a little help from team steam engine Jens Voight
– could bring home his third victory.

11:52 CST
Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne) is back in the peloton. We can't help but
wonder if we'll be seeing more of Caisse d'Epargne later today. They've not
done much to date, and they've be nuts to pass up on the chance today.

The Caisse d'Epargne boys were out late last night...out on the Hilton Hotel
steps. Sitting there's not really what I'd call a big Friday night in Adelaide,
but each to their own.

11:53 CST
We have two sprints on today’s course. The start line in Aldinga Beach is the
site of both sprints, at kilometre 40.3 - just four kilometres away - and 80.6.

11:55 CST
Jack Bobridge (UniSA) was keen to get amongst it today...and he has. The youngster
spoke to us before the start. "I’d love to get myself in a move today," he said.
"I haven’t been in the early break this week – I’ve tried plenty of days but
unfortunately I’ve missed it. A few of the other boys have got in there for
us. I’d love to make it this morning, and like you said, it’s whether I can
pick the right one.

"I don’t think they’re going to let too many riders go, and the conditions don’t
look too bad, but I think it’s always going to come back for that hill," he
added. "Unless you’ve got eight minutes going into the climb, you’re never going
to stay away."

11:56 CST
Quick Step still has control of the peloton as it nears the sprint point. The
Belgian squad is holding the gap steady at 2 minutes.

11:58 CST
While I await your nutty stories, let me share one of mine. Traffic was so bad
coming out of Angaston yesterday that race director Mike Turtur couldn't make
it back in time for his A Current Affair television slot.

With their back up against the wall and nobody of any significants back at the
Hilton Hotel (having the Cyclingnews.com blimp comes in handy at times), they
asked yours truly to sub in for Mike. The network, however, wasn't so keen...turns
out I have a face for live coverages!

12:00 CST
Results from the first sprint are in, which means the race is about to turn
away from the beach and head inland again.

12:04 CST 44km/104km to go
The situation is holding steady at the moment, but Quick Step's boys are working
hard to keep it that way. The gap is still 2.05 minutes 44 kilometres into the
race, but like I said, Quick Step is driving hard to keep it that way.

12:05 CST
Anyone wanting a closer look at what the riders are facing today, you can check
it out here. http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jan09/TDU09/?id=stages/TDU095

12:06 CST
Brad's question 'Just wondering if the peloton "may contain traces of nuts"?'
has inspired me to do a poll.

Lets vote on the nuttiest cyclist of all time? Give me names, and justification/s
for the nomination.

12:08 CST
It's a good thing the sun has come out today - there's tens of thousands of
people lining today's course. It's visibly more people than in previous years
- with the entire circuit lined with people.

12:10 CST
Quick Step is still the work horse in today's peloton. The team will need to
be careful it can still get Allan Davis over Willunga twice after doing all
this work, and isn't setting up one of its rivals to take the spoils.

12:10 CST
Allan Davis (Quick Step) was excited on the start line when we spoke to him.
"We’re pumped up, ready go, although we’ll just try to stay relaxed and keep
the moves down, the heart rate down – hopefully we’ll be in a good spot before
the first climb up Willunga, and see what happens after that."

12:18 CST
Meylina may be freezing up in Canada, but she's got an interesting prediction
for today "Lance and Sweet Baby Jesus will attack shortly."

Someone was telling me that Johan Bruyneel was looking much more confident today
than in days gone. Perhaps LANCE ARMSTRONG (for dramatic impact) will have a
crack at today's stage!

Wouldn't that cause a stir...

12:19 CST
The day’s King of the Mountains will be contested in the obvious spot on Willunga
Hill. They come at kilometre 106.3 and 128.8 respectively.

12:19 CST
While your votes for nutty cyclists continue to roll in, I’ve already run one
poll today, although this time it was in the media room this morning. The consensus
is that Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne) and Michael Rogers (Columbia) are
the men to watch today, although whether they can take the time they need to
win overall remains to be seen.

12:23 CST
Matt Lloyd (Silence-Lotto) has been active on the climbs in recent days. The
cool-cat is hoping to let his legs do the talking again later today. "I think
it’s the last opportunity to try and create something and make it happen. I’m
looking forward to the two climbs, and we’ll have to try and make things happen
again.

"I think in the past we’ve seen bigger teams happy to ride and the sprinters
know that they’ll get across on the long descent, and if the two laps do unfold
at a really high pace then it will break the field up and we’ll try and get
some groups away," he said. "That may provide the likelihood for something more
positive to happen."

12:24 CST 58km/90km to go
Nothing's changed out on the course as the riders head back down Willunga's
Main Rd for the second time. Quick Step is driving, the break has a 2.30 minute
lead. As they say, big wheels keep on turnin'.

12:30 CST
Seems I was wrong about Gert Steegmans (Katusha), he won't be the last home
today. He's just abandoned the race...thanks for coming Gert!

12:31 CST
George Hincapie (Team Columbia - High Road) is having a wheel swap at the moment,
while his team-mate Bernhard Eisel has told an Australian news agency that this
year's Tour is too hard...go figure.

12:32 CST
Nicholas has given us a "bold" suggestion for the stage outcome, but I think
he's close to the money. "Jensie lights it up, up Willunga with Stuey in tow.
Dodger and Lance prominent too. O'Grady wins stage."

12:33 CST
George is back on board. Hincapie has re-joined the peloton after a wheel swap.

12:36 CST
Okay so far you've voted Djamolidine Abdoujaparov as the nuttiest bike racer
of all time thus far. Tristan said it's for "his erratic sprinting style, massive
crashes and total fearlessness, the guy must have been insane. And he has a
name to match."

To those who voted for Lance as the least nuttiest (not that we were even running
a poll on that!), I think that's a bit harsh. The guy has, after all, raised
$400 million for cancer.

12:41 CST
I must give an honourable mention to Dave Zabriskie in the nuttiest rider category.
Seems his compatriots hold him in high regard when it comes to the nutometer.

12:42 CST
We’ve had several people interested in how Robbie McEwen is feeling in recent
days. I ran into his physio Jens in the lift this morning who said he’s feeling
fine – the only thing that stopped him from finishing higher yesterday was being
knocked by someone, which caused his foot to come out of the cleat. Jens tells
me he expects McEwen will be amongst it tomorrow.

12:44 CST
Things were rolling along smoothly, but there's been a crash in the peloton.

12:45 CST
It seems Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank) - third on general classification - may
have been involved in it.

12:45 CST 74km/74km to go
The time gap has gone out a little more, to three minutes, as the peloton re-groups
from the accident.

12:46 CST
All riders involved in the crash are back on the road. They're making their
way back through the convoy now and should re-join the peloton shortly. Alexandre
Usov (Cofidis) was a little slow to get going, but we understand he has continued.

12:47 CST
Pablo Lastras Garcia (Caisse d'Epargne) has made his way back into the peloton
after the crash. Saxo Bank has time trial Stuart O'Grady back into the peloton
too.

12:48 CST
Mickaël Chérel (Française Des Jeux) has also re-joined the peloton after the
accident.

12:49 CST
Alexandre Usov (Cofidis) and Scott Davis (UniSA), brother of race leader Allan,
are still chasing the peloton after the accident.

12:51 CST
Euskaltel - Euskadi has taken to the front of the peloton to assist Quick Step
with the chase.

12:52 CST
Of course when asked what’s going to happen today, cycling commentator Paul
Sherwin offered a different slant on things. “I’m going to drive to Willunga
and have a pie,” he said.

12:54 CST 80.6km/67.4km to go
The second sprint has been run and won - by the same people as the first - meaning
the race has finished its second lap of the first circuit. It will now do half
a lap back to Main Rd in Willunga, where is starts the finishing circuit. Lets
get ready to race.

12:55 CST 81km/67km to go
With the ride to the base of Willunga Hill just 20 kilometres, the break is
starting to be reeled in by the peloton. It now has a 2.50 minute lead.

12:56 CST
Alexandre Usov (Cofidis) has made it back to the peloton after the earlier crash.

12:59 CST
Scott Davis (UniSA) has also made it back to the peloton, meaning everyone in
the crash earlier has made it back into the group.

13:01 CST
Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) also spoke to Cyclingnews.com this morning. "Stu and
I have know each other for many years, and we know each other’s abilities –
sometimes we can communicate without words. I just look at him and I know, ‘Ok,
we can go a little bit faster…’ or I look at him and go, ‘Ohhh, no, he’s on
the limit…’ We can look after him – he’s our main man, it’s his home country
and home crowd, so we’ll sure try and keep him on the podium. Maybe move up
one or two spots, but we really ought to try not to let the guys from behind
come up and pass around.

"It’s going to be like a little tricky to balance – it’s going to be a little
bit of jiggling the many factors in the game to be in control of all of them.
We’re still relaxed, and we’ll talk today – there are no silly tactics. Stuey
just needs to be on a good day and we’ll survive it."

13:02 CST
I also ran into Matthew Wilson (UniSA) in the lift this morning. Matty is looking
incredibly lean at the moment (and he was already a skinny guy) and could give
the ProTour riders a shake on the climb.

13:04 CST
The race is on its way to the first climb, so lets weed out the weaker nuts
and pick ourselves a final selection. No, that's not a metaphor for the race,
I want to know your favour nut for the title 'Hard-nut of nuts'?

13:06 CST 88km/60km to go
Ohh, it's getting close now. The break-away's margin has dropped to 2.38 minutes
and the tension is starting to grow. It's time to crack this race open like
a peanut.

13:06 CST
It's still Euskaltel - Euskadi and Quick Step doing all the work up front.

13:13 CST 94km/54km to go
The gap is coming back in a controlled fashion. It's still got a 2.15 minutes
gap at kilometre 94.

13:16 CST
Caisse d'Epargne director Neil Stephens told us his thoughts on today. "Rojas
is the sort of guy who doesn’t get up the hill great; he’s not a climber as
such, but he’s pretty tough – a bit like Allan or Stuart. Luis isn’t more like
your Michael Rogers or George Hincapie. I suppose the strength in our team is
that the block itself is pretty good, without having anyone that’s really brilliant.
Luis is the strongest guy we’ve got, although unfortunately with bonus seconds
he’s down on GC… but we’ve just got to play with the cards we’ve got.

"We’re not one of the clear favourites, and like I said we’ve lost bonus seconds
– we’re about 20 seconds down – so we’ve just got to see what happens with the
other teams and maybe profiteer a little bit from what they do."

13:18 CST 96km/52km to go
The peloton has taken another 10 seconds out of the break. The race is entering
the early slopes of this afternoon's climb now, before it really kicks up in
about four kilometres time.

13:23 CST 101km/47km to go
The gap is back to two minutes as the lead group passes under the finish banner.
It's time to turn towards Willunga Hill, here we go.

13:24 CST
Before the race plays out too much, my fellow nuts, I need prediction. We might
be a mixed bag, but we need to decide how this is going to go.

Let me know people.

13:25 CST
There's a massive crowd on Willunga Hill. It's standing room only at the best
of times, but this year it's pulled a huge attendance.

13:40 CST
The green jersey group - including Graeme Brown (Rabobank) - is closing on the
group in front which includes Allan Davis (Quick Step).

13:40 CST
The two groups have come together, creating a peloton of about 50 riders. Brown
has done well to hold it together up the hill.

13:41 CST
Behind another group of 10 riders are chasing the peloton, trying to get back
in the race.

13:43 CST
Brown was able to get back into the race with the help of his Rabobank teammates,
three of which were driving their group up Willunga Hill.

13:44 CST 115km/33km to go
The race leaders Serguei Klimov (Team Katusha) and Jack Bobridge (UniSA) have
a 49 second gap on the main group containing Allan Davis (Quick Step) and Graeme
Brown (Rabobank).

13:46 CST
Well we're backing an American for today's win it seems, my fellow nuttys. Ryder
Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) is the consensus over Michael Rogers (Columbia).

13:47 CST
Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) has had to swap a wheel at a crucial time
in the race.

13:48 CST
The group of 10 riders hanging behind the main chase group has now caught it,
forming a group of about 70 riders.

13:50 CST
Glenn d'Hollander (Silence - Lotto) has attacked the chase group and gained
a small advantage.

14:04 CST
David Moncoutié (Cofidis and Matthew Lloyd (Silence - Lotto) are together at
the head of the race while Lance Armstrong (Astana) is driving the peloton,
having been caught by it.

14:06 CST
David Moncoutié (Cofidis) has pushed ahead of Matthew Lloyd (Silence - Lotto),
while Laurent Lefèvre (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) is also chasing. Lance Armstrong
(Astana) is leading a group of about 15 riders a further 200 metres behind.

14:13 CST
George Hincapie (Team Columbia - High Road), Rémy Di Grégorio (Française Des
Jeux) and Mauro Santambrogio (Lampre - N.G.C) have gone off the front of the
Armstrong group and are chasing the leaders.

14:15 CST
The trio have joined the leaders now to join a lead group of eight, which has
10 seconds over the leader's jersey group.

14:30 CST
Euskaltel - Euskadi isn't going to be able to do it, Quick Step is too strong.

14:30 CST
The Belgian team is coming through with the race leader.

14:31 CST
Davis is going to take this and boost his leading margin to 25 seconds.

14:31 CST
Yes, he's got it, Queenslander Allan Davis (Quick Step) has won another stage
of the Tour Down Under.

14:31 CST
The victory cements Davis' lead going into tomorrow's final stage.

14:33 CST
Martin Elmiger (Ag2R) has taken third place with Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank)
again just missing the podium in fourth.

14:36 CST
Quick Step's Allan Davis told us: "Absolutely unbelievable, I wouldn't be here
without my team. It's been another amazing day with the crowds. I just can't
believe how well the event has gone. Thank you."

14:59 CST
Aw, nuts. Well, that's the decisive stage to Willunga ladies and gentlemen.
I was hoping we'd get a few cracking around Willunga, but in the end it was
a mass sprint that would decide the outcome of this year's event.

While it would have been nice to see a rider win by enough of a margin to provide
a surprise victor, it's hard to be disappointed in Allan Davis' (Quick Step)
success story. From guilty by association a few years back, to having his name
cleared and fighting back into a top team, winning a ProTour event is the icing
on the cake for Alby.

Heading into tomorrow, Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank), would need to win the race
16 seconds ahead of Davis in order to take his third title. While anything is
possible, on the closed circuit race around Adelaide's streets it seems unlikely
Davis can be outdone.

Tune in to see if Alby takes one for the road in tomorrow's final stage.